Football: Broncos win state title

Devaughn Vele slid down on the rain-soaked turf after securing an interception. His teammates rushed over to mob him. The crowd, which filled the home side at Rancho Bernardo High, erupted and were louder than ever before as the rain continued to fall harder.

It was a scene that will forever be etched into the memories of those who attended Saturday night’s CIF Division III-A State Football Championship Bowl Game. And it was a moment Broncos players and coaches will remember for a lifetime.

Vele’s pick in the final minute put the finishing touches on Rancho Bernardo’s 35-14 victory over Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton in the state title game. It is the first state championship in any sport for Rancho Bernardo and it came in front of an electrifying home crowd that powered through the rain near the end to watch the historic celebration take place.

“This is crazy,” said Broncos senior wide receiver Vele, who hauled in a pair of high-soaring touchdowns to go along with his pick. “This is the greatest feeling in the world. The stands are packed and we were representing our town and we won a state title. This is unbelievable.”

It really is, especially when thinking about where Rancho Bernardo finished just two years ago. The Broncos went 1-9 in the regular season for the second straight year, but they quickly rose to the top. It started with a Palomar League title and a runner-up finish in the San Diego Section Division II playoffs in 2014.

Then came 2015, a season that will go down as the best in the history of the school. The Broncos (13-2) repeated as Palomar League champions, captured the section’s Division II championship, the Southern California Regional title and now the state crown.

“After that last 1-9 season, we knew we had a lot of opportunities to win games that we didn’t,” said fifth-year Broncos coach Tristan McCoy, who was a player on the 1993 and 1995 Rancho Bernardo section championship teams. “I don’t think we can say we expected this to happen, but we knew we had the potential to be a great team.”

Junior quarterback Mark Salazar was nearly flawless in the win, completing 12 of 14 passes for 186 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also ran for a score. Junior running back Milan Grice had 26 carries for 125 yards and two touchdowns. And the defense forced three turnovers, as Rancho Bernardo never trailed en route to adding another piece of hardware to its trophy case.

“This is indescribable,” said senior cornerback Anthony Barnum, whose interception in the third quarter led to a touchdown and a 21-7 lead. “I just want to thank my teammates for all their hard work and for putting in all those hours. We have really become a brotherhood and that is the reason why we went so far.”

The magical season did not come without adversity. The Broncos were dealt a humbling 20-17 loss by Westview on Oct. 9. But rather than dwell on it, they used it as fuel and ended up winning nine straight to close the year.

There were tough times to overcome off the field, too, as three people the program holds dear to its heart died during the season. Lineman Evan Blakeney’s mother, Debbie Blakeney, succumbed to a rare cancer on Oct. 29. Former Bronco Bobby Byron, a 2012 graduate and all-league linebacker, was killed in a tragic car accident in Florida on Oct. 25. And Peter Martin, a 1996 RB graduate and former football player, died in late August.

“It was hard,” said Vele, who finished with seven catches for 126 yards and the two scores. “It definitely brought us closer. We were already a brotherhood, but we really came together and we realized there is so much more to life than football.”

Football was the focus on Saturday, though. Rancho Bernardo built a 14-0 lead after Grice scored on a 42-yard run late in the first quarter and Salazar capped an 11-play drive with a 1-yard sneak with 8:21 left in the second quarter. The Gators (11-4) cut the deficit to 14-7 when Mason Randall hit Andrew Dashbach for a 21-yard touchdown as time expired in the first half.

But out of the break is when the Vele show began. The 6-foot-4, 180-pounder extended the lead back to 14 with a leaping 22-yard reception in the end zone with 2:03 left in the third quarter.

Still, the Broncos could not ditch the Gators. The first play of the ensuing drive, Randall found Daschbach again. This time it was for a 76-yard touchdown, making it a 21-14 game with 1:40 left in the third quarter.

Vele and the Broncos would not be denied on this night, though. After a 47-yard reception by Vele, Grice powered in from the 1-yard line to give the Broncos a 28-14 lead with 9:21 to go. Then, with 1:54 left, Vele scored the final touchdown of his prep career by out leaping a pair of defenders for a 20-yard score.

“We did what we had to do to win,” Salazar said. “Now we are state champions and nobody can take that away from us.”